1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a cooling system for a power storage mechanism, and more particularly to a cooling system for a power storage mechanism for discharging air that has been heat transferred with the power storage mechanism therefrom into the interior of a vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
Hybrid vehicles, fuel cell vehicles, electric vehicles and the like, driven by the driving force of the motor have been well known. The vehicle of the above type is equipped with a battery, capacitor and the like so as to store electricity supplied to the motor. As the battery and the capacitor generate heat upon charging or discharging of electricity, they need to be cooled.
JP-A-10-306722 discloses a cooling system for efficiently cooling the battery with air within the vehicle compartment. The cooling system designed to cool the battery within the battery chamber. The cooling system is provided with a cooling duct having one end opened to the vehicle interior and the other end connected to the battery chamber, a cooling fan provided within the cooling duct. The cooling system is provided with an exhaust duct disposed opposite to the cooling duct with respect to the battery, having one end opened to the outside of the vehicle and the other end opened to the interior of the battery chamber. Air in the vehicle compartment is supplied to the inside of the battery chamber as cooling air upon drive of the cooling fan. The air heat transferred with the battery is discharged to the outside of the vehicle via the exhaust duct.
According to the aforementioned system, the cooling air may be discharged to the outside of the vehicle via the exhaust duct.
The aforementioned system, however, requires a space for the exhaust duct. This may reduce the space of the cabin compartment or the luggage compartment. If the size of the exhaust duct is reduced, that is, its radius is reduced in order to have sufficient space for the cabin compartment or the luggage compartment, the pressure loss in the exhaust duct may occur, thus deteriorating the cooling performance.